During my TACS/RVDO presentation last week, one participant asked, “How can I get my CEO to make the board help in major donor fundraising?” Here are my observations:
- As the question is stated, you can’t. You’re asking your boss to manage his or her bosses. Having headed an organization, I know what a tough spot that is.
- The best motivation comes from within the board. Board members themselves have to see fundraising as one of their core responsibilities.
- To begin, identify a board member who believes in the fundraising cause and will champion it to colleagues.
- Don’t expect too much at first. Not all board members are comfortable making direct asks. Some never will be. But if coached and motivated, most can identify, cultivate, and/or steward.
- The easiest place to start is stewardship—getting board members to thank current donors. The warm reception they get helps convince board members that fundraising can be fun.
- Build by example. Identify and recognize board members who are effective. Share stories of their success. Make others want to emulate them and achieve similar recognition before their peers.
- Good fundraising boards often evolve, so have patience. Achieve small victories and build on them. As the board begins to enjoy success and sees fundraising as more central to its role, it will begin to recruit those with greater fundraising expertise.
Another duty of the board is it’s own management. It should take the lead in its own development and not expect the CEO to do so. Here’s how the Ronald McDonald Houses of Oregon and Southwest Washington handles board recruitment and self-evaluation. (This link may require registration, but it’s painless. We developed this site for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s Major Giving Initiative.)
Posted by jimlewis 